Postdoctoral Associate

Position Function:

The Ervin Lab (www.garyervin.com) is hiring a postdoctoral researcher to collaborate on the parametrization of processed-based wetland vegetation (GenVeg) models, as part of the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Next Generation ecosystem modeling efforts. The position is supported by the USACE Engineering Research and Development Center Environmental Laboratory (https://www.erdc.usace.army.mil/Locations/EL/). The postdoc will be based in the Department of Biological Sciences at Mississippi State University in Starkville, MS but will collaborate actively with USACE scientists.

Salary Grade:  UC

For salary grade UC, these positions are "Unclassified" and salary ranges are determined by the hiring department.

Department Profile:

www.biology.msstate.edu

Area of Specialization:

Ecology

Anticipated Appointment Date:

June 16, 2025

Tenure Track Status:

n/A

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

The postdoc will assist in:
• Compiling existing data sets collected on wetland vegetation growth in response to changes in water quality, hydrology, and neighboring plant species;
• Parameterizing, testing, and evaluating of dynamic vegetation growth models (GenVeg), in collaboration with ERDC scientist, and communicating model updates to end users, including travel in support of these duties
• Publishing results of this work in peer-reviewed journal articles.
• Develop manuscripts to publish results of this work in peer-reviewed journal articles

Minimum Qualifications:

• Strong writing skills and an enthusiasm for wetland ecology
• Demonstrated ability to communicate with ecosystem scientists and ecologists from diverse backgrounds
• Highly motivated with the ability to work independently and contribute to a collaborative environment
• Ph.D. in ecology or a related field by start date; ABDs considered.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Quantitative and computing skills, including demonstrated competency with R, Python, and/or ecological simulation modeling environments
• Experience conducting wetland or plant ecology field sampling
• Understanding of functional or trait-based plant ecology
• Familiarity with laboratory procedures and basic protocols for processing plant, soil, and water samples
• Demonstrated statistical experience, including process-based analytics

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

The successful candidate will demonstrate an ability to communicate with diverse ecosystem scientists, from field ecologists and botanists to those who are fully immersed in quantitative ecosystem modeling and computational biology. In this vein, the postdoc will be expected to interact/collaborate with scientists at Mississippi State University (Dept. of Biological Sciences and Geosystems Research Institute) and the USACE ERDC, in addition to potential collaborations at Texas State University at San Marcos and the Community Surface Dynamics Modeling System group at the University of Colorado at Boulder. It is expected that the postdoc would travel among these locations as needed for collaborative activities, but the primary work location will be Starkville, MS and the main MSU campus.

Working Conditions and Physical Effort

If you have questions about the position, please email Dr. Gary Ervin (gary.ervin@msstate.edu).

Instructions for Applying:

Please upload a cover letter, CV, PDFs of 1-3 recent first-authored publications or preprints, and names and contact information for 3-5 professional references.

For full consideration, apply by May 31, 2025. If the position remains unfilled after this date, applications will be reviewed as they are received until the position is filled. 

Restricted Clause:

Position is contingent upon continued availability of funding.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:

Mississippi State University is an equal opportunity institution. Discrimination is prohibited in university employment, programs or activities based on race, color, ethnicity, sex, pregnancy, religion, national origin, disability, age, sexual orientation, genetic information, status as a U.S. veteran, or any other status to the extent protected by applicable law. Questions about equal opportunity programs or compliance should be directed to the Office of Civil Rights Compliance, 231 Famous Maroon Band Street, P.O. 6044, Mississippi State, MS 39762, (662